Aces Win Series Versus Las Vegas, Fall In Finale

The Reno Aces fell by a score of 8-4 in the series finale against the Las Vegas 51's Tuesday afternoon at Greater Nevada Field. Ketel Marte notched three doubles in the contest, improving his batting average to an astounding .358 on the season. Frank Duncan took the loss, moving his record to 6-5 in 2017. Brooks Hall made his Reno Aces debut, allowing just two hits in three innings while striking out three. Rubby De La Rosa, Jake Barrett, and Silvino Bracho combined for three innings of relief, striking out five and allowing just two hits.

Three consecutive singles by the heart of the Las Vegas order got Sin City into the scoring column in the top of the first inning. Victor Cruzado led off the game with a five-pitch walk. Batters two through four each singled, plating Cruzado and loading the bases. Aces starter Frank Duncan battled through the jam, escaping the inning with just one run allowed.
 
The Biggest Little City responded with two of their own in the bottom half of the first. Ildlemaro Vargas took advantage of an error by Cruzado in center field. The speedy Vargas then swiped his sixth base of the season, getting himself into scoring position for the hottest hitter in the Pacific Coast League, Ketel Marte. Marte picked up his 40^th RBI of the season with a double off the left field wall. After advancing on an Oswaldo Aria fly ball, Sócrates Brito drove in Marte with a deep sacrifice fly to right field giving the Aces a 2-1 advantage.
 
Las Vegas broke the game open with five runs in the top of the second inning. Duncan allowed four hits and two walks in the inning, allowing the 51's retake the lead and put the score at 6-2. The 51's would add one more run to their total in the top of the fourth inning, extending their lead to 7-2.
 
Ketel Marte would start the comeback train for Reno in the bottom of the eighth inning. Marte drove his third double of the afternoon into the left-center field gap. Jack Reinheimer drove in Marte with a line drive into the outfield. Reinheimer now has four RBI in as many games. Jio Mier hit a solo-home run of Bracho in the top of the ninth inning to finish the Las Vegas scoring outburst at eight runs. Kristopher Negrón lead off the bottom of the ninth with a triple into the gap. Catcher Willians Astudillo followed with a double off the wall to narrow the deficit to 8-4.
 
With the Loss, Reno moves to 45-27 and seven games up on the Tacoma Rainiers in the Pacific Coast League Northern Division. The Aces will get Wednesday off and return to Greater Nevada Field on Thursday night for a series against the Rainiers. Tickets are on-sale now at www.renoaces.com or by calling (775) 334-4700. Follow the club all season long on Twitter (@Aces) or like the team on Facebook.